Depleted Cardiff should be too strong for Aironi
Cardiff Blues will visit the Stadio Luigi Zaffanella as they take on Aironi in the Magners League on Friday, 29 October.
The Blues will be missing a number of their first team players, as they are away on international duty ahead of the Autumn Internationals.
Aironi should still have most of their international contingent since the Italian team start their Tests a week later than the Welsh.
This will mean that Marco Bortolami will be able to continue as captain and the likes of Carlo Del Fava and Salvatore Perugini should play.
Centre Matteo Pratichetti is expected to miss the game with a wrist injury he sustained in Aironi’s loss to the Dragons.
Aironi are still searching for their first win in the competition and they will hope that they can beat a depleted Cardiff at home.
The Italians have put up a number of good displays at the Stadio Luigi Zaffanella and ran Ulster close in a Magners League encounter. They were also unlucky to lose against Edinburgh 10-9 on 2 October.
Cardiff will be forced to choose a new look side because of injuries and as a number of their players have joined up with the national team.
Tom James is out with a leg injury and centre Gavin Evans is likely to move to the wing to replace him.
Out-half Dan Parks is also out and Ceri Sweeney is expected to continue in the out-half position.
Wales coach Warren Gatland has called up Chris Czekaj to the national team and this will allow youngster Dan Fish to make his debut.
Cardiff coach Dai Young will make a host of changes as forwards Sam Warburton, Bradley Davies, Gethin Jenkins and Deiniol Jones are all called up to the Welsh squad.
Martyn Williams, John Yapp and Scott Andrews will be released by Wales to play for their clubs.
Williams is expected to start and Gatland is keen for the player to prove his fitness as he returns from a suspension.
"Obviously with the suspension he hasn't played for a number of weeks and feels like he could do with some game time," said Young.
Andrews and Yapp were released because the Blues are stuck for numbers in the prop position and the Cardiff coach is expected to play both players for no more than 40 minutes.
"We've requested Scott Andrews back because we've got one or two props away, one or two injured so we need numbers in that department," said Young
Cardiff have had a great start to the season and they are currently in third place in the Magners League.
However, the Welsh side have lost their last two matches. Cardiff were defeated by the Scarlets 10-16 at home in the Magners League and they also lost their last Heineken Cup encounter to Castres 27-20 in France.
The Blues will aim to bounce back against bottom of the table Aironi and despite the number of internationals that have joined up with the Welsh team they should have enough quality to beat the Italians.
Prediction: Aironi 15 Cardiff Blues 27
Tags: